


I Never Really Had A Choice When It Came To You

by Faye_Reynolds



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Enjoy!, M/M, hahahha, happiness and fluff, i can't tag worth shit, love at first raid, meeting online!AU, the other prompts i got are sad ones so i needed this to be light and happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-17
Updated: 2015-04-17
Packaged: 2018-03-23 09:42:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3763387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faye_Reynolds/pseuds/Faye_Reynolds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meeting Online!AU</p>
<p>Ask game prompt from the tumbles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Never Really Had A Choice When It Came To You

**Author's Note:**

> _Okay a few notes before we get started._  
>  _It's been a while since I've played WoW so I don't know if anything said in here is the correct lingo they still use._  
>  _I wanted to write more for this (I still might) but I like where it ended off._  
>  _Oh yeah, also, I'm still not fluent in French so if anything is wrong please tell me._  
>  _Not edited/betad because I'm lazy and it's currently 6:02 a.m. and I have not slept._  
>  _I really hope you enjoy because I don't even know if this is good or not._  
>  _Enjoy!_

“Wipe!” Lieb shouted after taking a large hit.

“You heard him Babe, fucking wipe!” Web exclaimed in agreement.

Babe ignored the angry shouts coming through his mic and focused on the Doc.

“No we got this, Doc back me up.”

“Heffron’s right, we can do this.”

“What the fuck ever, you two.”

Babe spouted out a few quick suggestions to Doc, not that it mattered because their healer always seemed to know what they needed before they did.

Then he guided his character back the boss and the two went to work.

“Now Heffron!” he heard Doc command and immediately followed their hastily put together plan of action.

A minute and half later the boss was down and the healer and tank were laughing at the stunned silence of the other men in their guild.

“Holy shit!” Lieb shouted.

“What the fuck? How?” Web countered.

“Told ya, right Doc?” Babe ask.

“Ya Heffron.”

Babe sighed, “How many times I gotta tell you Doc? Call me Babe.”

“How?” Web asked again.

“Web shut the fuck up unless you’re gonna add something useful.” Lieb said with laugh as the telltale sound of his lighter sounded through his mic.

“Thanks for having my back Doc.” Babe said amidst the yelling match that started between Lieb and Web.

“Anytime,” the other man murmured as Babe heard the man’s pager go off, “I gotta go guys, I’m on call.”

Before Babe could say goodbye the man disconnected his character off the game.

“I don’t even know how Doc gets such good Wi-Fi in a hospital.” Lieb commented.

“He must be somewhere near the main console or something.” Web offered.

Babe didn’t hear anything, lately he’d been thinking a little _too_ much about the Doc to be considered normal. He’d lie awake at night thinking about the gravelly but soft-spoken voice and wondering what he’d look like. Would he be tall or short? Babe always picture him to be tall for some unknown.

“Babe,” Lieb’s voiced sounded off from somewhere far away.

Dark or light hair? He guessed dark and hope he was right. He’s always loved dark hair. What color would his eyes be? Maybe a smoky grey or brown to compliment the voice that’d been haunting him since Bill convinced him to get the game nine months ago.

“Babe?” Web tried this time, but to no avail.

Babe spent so much time thinking about this man. A man whose real name he didn’t even know. He didn’t know what his family was like, where he lived, or how old he was. But he knew other things, he knew Doc liked his coffee with too much sugar to be acceptable, he knew that Doc would sleep in until the early afternoon if he could, he knew that the other man liked to sleep facing the window, and he knew that hr was one of the most compassionate men he’s ever known. He knew so much and yet so little about this man and he wasn’t even surprised when he realized he wanted to know more. No, he wanted to know everything.

“BABE!” Both men shouted this time.

“WHAT?!” He shouted back.

“Stop moping about the fact that Doc is gone and tell us whether or not you’re free to raid tomorrow night.”

“I’m not moping, I’m…” Babe drifted off, he didn’t know what he was doing.

“Jesus, I was just joking, are you _still_ pining for him?” Lieb asked, sounding indifferent, but Babe knew better. As much as Lieb played it like he didn’t, when he cared about people, he _really_ cared. Babe will never forget when Lieb legitimately offered to fly out to Philly to beat the shit out of his ex.

“It’s not pining, Lieb.” Web added.

“See? Thank you, Web.”

“It’s more like _longing_.” Web laughed through his mic.

Babe sighed at his two insufferable friends, “I mean it’s ridiculous right? You can’t _long_ for someone you’ve never met, right?”

“I don’t know Babe, more absurd things have happened.” Web offered.

“Yeah, Web longs for me something awful. You should see something of the things he sent me in PM.”

“Joe!”

“What?”

“That’s not how I wanted to tell him!”

Babe coughed on the cold coffee he took a sip of, “Wait! Let me get this straight. You two?”

Lieb’s smug voice came through the com, “Yup. He’s flying out, what three weeks from now?”

“Something like that. Don’t know what I’m thinking.” Web murmured in response, barely containing his annoyance.

“Shit, well congrats guys.”

“Thank you Babe.” Web’s voice softened like he was genuinely grateful that Babe was okay with them.

“Yeah, thanks Babe. So when you gonna visit the Doc?”

For the second time, Babe choked on his cold coffee.

“What? Never. I mean, he’d wouldn’t be okay with that. I don’t even know his name or where he lives or how old he is. I can’t just ask out of the blue. That’d be really weird, right?”

There was complete silence for the first time in nearly nine months from both men on the other line.

“Shit, that’s how you two are meeting isn’t it?”

“Yeah, Lieb’s curiosity got the better of him.” Web laughed.

“What the fuck ever Web, Babe look, if I wasn’t looking so forward to slapping Web in real life for all the times I couldn’t do it while playing, I would say don’t do it, but man, aren’t you the least bit curious?”

Babe thought this over. Of course he was curious. He’s had countless, sleepless nights filled with curiosity over the last nine months, but what if everything he’s built up is just that? A fantasy. An idea.

However, Babe never did listen to logical thoughts his brain provided for him.  
“I guess it would hurt to try.” He offered.

“There ya go! Now I won’t have to listen to your aimless flirting.” Lieb sighed.

Babe’s phone rang and he noticed Julian was calling him, probably to remind him about his shift.

Babe tended to get immersed when playing, or with listening to Doc talk to him, so when he showed up late to his shift for the third time, Julian decided to always call him fifteen minutes before his shift.

“I gotta go guys, try not to fight too much while I’m gone.” Babe spoke as he finished mining the last item for his quest.

“We won’t, I have to go finish this chapter for my editor.”

Babe changed shirts without taking his headset off, “Oh yeah, how’s your book going?”

“It’s going, I’m excited to see what sharks San Francisco has to offer.”

“You’re such a fucking nerb, Web.”

“Yeah says the guy with the largest personal comic book collection I’ve ever seen.”

“Shut up. What kids are going to want to read a book about sharks anyway?”

“The cool ones.”

Babe laughed, “I’ll catch you guys later,” then signed off.

Web and Lieb signed off shortly after bickering until they were disconnected.

No one noticed that their healer had signed back in when Lieb had first suggested that Babe was pining over _him._

Gene stared at his computer screen for a long time in disbelief until he pager rang with an actual emergency call.

* * *

 

“Doc where are you?” Babe asked a few days later, after his little intervention with Web and Lieb. He’d been trying to talk to the Doc, but anytime he was online his mic was off or they were raiding. It’s kind of hard to ask “where’d you grow up?” when you’re trying to take down a boss.

“Mining for the that new quest before I head back to the hospital.”

“Jesus, Doc, why don’t you just move into the hospital? You’re there more than you’re at home.”

Gene let out a small laugh, “I’ve considered it Heffron, trust me.”

Babe took a deep breath, no time like the present, “Speaking of home, where’d you grow up?”

He held his breath as he waited for an answer.

“Doc?”

“Uhm, Bayou Chene, Louisiana. Why do you ask?”

Gene took a moment, he’d spent the last week trying avoid Babe as best he could. He wasn’t quite sure how to talk to Babe. He knew he’d let too many things slip if he tried. Renée had suggested he just go for it, but he still had his reservations. He’d fallen hard for Babe and he didn’t even really know him. He really needed to get out more.

“Just curious, I’m from South Philly, born and raised. You know, if you, uh, wanted to know.” Babe’s cheeks flushed red and for once he was glad Doc couldn’t see him.

Gene stopped clicking as he listened. South Philly? Did Babe still live there? Should he tell him he works at a hospital in the same city? Why wass suddenly harder to breathe?

“…I mean it’s not like you _needed_ to know, but I asked so I mean…” Babe finished rambling, embarrassment filling his body.

“Do you still live there?” Gene asked carefully, still not knowing what he was hoping the answer was.

“Yeah, I do, I think my ma would kill me if I ever moved away.”

“Mine almost did,” Gene said before he could stop himself.

“Oh so you don’t live in Bayou Chene anymore?”

  
Gene took a moment, thinking about how careful and cautious he’s always been, every decision meticulously thought out and consequences looked through extensively. For once, he was going with his gut.

“No actually, I, uh, live in Philly too.” Gene held his breath and waited for Babe to yell or disconnect.

“No fucking way! Why didn’t you say so? When did you move here?” Babe’s heart was pumping so fast. He was _here_. He could be his neighbor for all he knows.

“Remember when I was offline for a week about two months ago?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s when.”

Babe took another deep breath and braced himself, “Well, since you’re so new to the city, I’d be happy to show you around when you’re free. If you want?”

Gene smiled, the butterflies in his stomach flying around in a flurry, and just as he went to answer, his screen went black.

“Merde! Tu stupide morceau de merde!” He ran across the hall to grab his charger, but his pager went off before he could. He threw his laptop in his locker and answered the call.

“Doc? You there?” Babe hadn’t received an answer for five full minutes but thought he’d ask one last time.

“Shit! Fuck!”

“Whoa! Babe, you okay?” Web asked out of the blue and Babe had a feeling he’d been listening the whole time.

“No, I’m not. Pretty sure I just scared of Doc and we’ll be lucky if he even comes back to the game.”

_I’ll be lucky if he comes back at all._

“You want to talk about it?”

Babe took a deep breath, Bill would be gone for the next few days and Julian was busy with his new girlfriend.

“Sure.”

Babe explained everything to Web, including how he’d been feeling for the past months, up to moments ago.

“Look I’m not going to say it’s _normal_ , but nothing is. Just let go and go for it. The worst is you’ll be rejected, but it’s better than no trying, trust me. If you’d told me four months ago that I’d be with someone like Joe, I’d have called you ridiculous, but look at me now. I’m happy for the first time in a really long time and that’s because I gave up one trying to be _normal_ and just tried being happy. If you’re happy just hearing Doc’s voice, imagine what’d it be like if he was actually part of your life Babe.”

Babe smiled wide, when Web wasn’t arguing with Lieb he was actually calm and insightful.

“Thanks Web.” 

* * *

 

Babe was officially going to kill Bill.

_You know who this is, if I don’t know you don’t expect a call back._

Babe growled and waited for the beep to let him know he could leave yet another message.

“I know you’re there, pick up the damn phone Bill!”

He hung up and threw himself onto the couch. Bill hadn’t paid their internet bill and now he couldn’t even begin to try to talk to Doc. He wouldn’t even try to use public Wi-Fi, most times it’s worse than no Wi-Fi.

An hour and a half later, Bill finally calls back and wakes Babe from his impromptu nap.

“It’s about damn time, why didn’t you pay the internet bill?”

“That’s what this was? Christ, Babe, you need to stop with the damn game. Only ever told you to get it because naps aren’t a hobby or way to spend time. And, it was my month genius, it’s yours.”

Babe got up and looked at their calendar hanging off the cabinet in the kitchen. Sure enough, it said in big red letters, “BABE: INTERNET! BILL: ELECTRIC!”

“Shit sorry Bill, just got a lot on my mind.”

“Yeah, your little healer. Just ask him for his number already Babe. After you pay the bill of course.”

“Yeah, yeah, later Bill.”

“Bye Babe.”

* * *

 

Three days later after Babe finally managed to pay the bill _and_ the overdue fees, he still had to wait three hours for it to be turned back on.

He signed on immediately, thinking only for a moment that he had a serious addiction to the game – or the people he played with – and turned on his mic.

Immediately he heard yelling in his headset and knew everything was okay.

“What’s going on guys?”

“Babe? That you?” Web asked.

“No it’s some other loser. What’s up?”

“Where the hell have you been?” Lieb ask angrily as Babe heard him light a cigarette.

“Mixed up bills with my roommate. It’s my fault though, sorry guys.” Babe apologized.

“Yeah well we need your number or something because we thought you were dead.” Web spoke and Babe though he heard genuine worry.

“Okay I’ll pm it to you guys later, sorry. We going to raid tonight?”

“Yeah, just waiting on Doc and we’re good to go. We're gonna go mine shit, pm us when Doc is on.”

* * *

 

Gene logged on the moment he got home, hoping it wasn’t too late and that maybe Babe was finally logged on. He’d spent the past four days constantly blaming himself for not charging his laptop and ruining any chance he had with the one guy who’d made him smile and blush in a long time. He found himself in constant state of uncertainty and anxiety.

He logged on and immediately heard familiar laughter and the butterflies in his stomach started flying around again.

He calmed himself, “Heffron?”

Babe heard the soothing, gravelly voice sound through his headset and immediately smiled, “Hey Doc, how you been?”

“Busy, there’s a lot of emergencies in Philly, where you been?”

Babe sheepishly rehashed his mistake to Gene and in turn Gene explained to Babe that his laptop had died when they last spoke.

“So, my offer still stands if you want to go out on the town with a true Philly native.”

Gene smiled, “I’d really like that, my first official day off is next Saturday, you free?”

“No, I’m not,” Babe continued as Gene’s shoulders slumped, “but Julian owes me several favors and he can cover my shift. I’ll give you my number just in case and pick you up at six?”

“Sounds good.”

“It sure does, Doc.”

“Hey Babe?”

“Yeah?”

“Call me Gene.”

“Why?”

“’Cause it’s my name?” Gene laughed.

Babe let out a small laugh before he realized something, “Hey Gene, you called me Babe.”

Gene stopped clicking, “I did? When?”

“Just now.”

Gene tried out the name again, enjoying the way it rolled off his tongue, “Babe... I guess I did.”

Babe was still ecstatic that Gene had said yes and tried to mock the other man, “ _Babe_.”

Gene sighed through a smile, “Heffron. Go get the guys from the goddamn mine.”

* * *

 

Saturday came to quickly and Babe had spent all of his free time talking to Gene in game and out of game. They managed to talk about everything and nothing at the same time. Half the time Babe just sent Gene funny pictures of ideas of where the other man might want to go and see.

He’d taken a screenshot of Gene’s text that read: _I’m fine going anywhere you think is worth seeing, just as long as you’re there. :)_

He’d sent it to Bill, Julian, Web, Lieb, and his ma.

All of them except Web sent something along the lines of, “about damn time.” Web just said, “Good luck. It’ll be great! :)”

Babe nearly paced the entire apartment and was about to start in the kitchen before Bill pushed him into a chair at their dining table.

“Knock it off before I slap ya. Why you so nervous Babe?”

“I-I don’t know. I just really want it to work out.”

“What makes ya think it won’t?”

“Uhm, I’m me?”

“And?”

Babe just blinked at his best friend. They’d been friends since preschool and knew each other inside and out.

Bill sighed and pulled a chair in front of Babe and the redhead knew he was in for a lecture.

“You’re a real dumbass sometimes Babe. Listen to me, yeah?”

Babe nodded.

“You’re gonna go on this little rendezvous and you’re gonna make that guy even crazier about you than he already is. You’re Babe fucking Heffron and you can do this.”

Babe laughed and nodded his head more affirmatively.

“Thanks Bill,” he said before he grabbed his keys and left.

* * *

 

Babe pulled up outside a small development of condominiums twenty minutes away from his own apartment and took a deep breath. He rubbed his sweating palms on his black jeans for the fifth time since leaving as he tried to remember Frannie’s words of encouragement. It wasn’t working so much now that he was faced with reality as he sat outside Gene’s place. He was about to see the man who had managed to work his way into Babe’s life and heart and he hadn’t even actually met him before.

He turned off the car and stepped out, enjoying the slight breeze that cooled his heated skin through his blue t-shirt as he closed the door.

_6:02 p.m. Hey Doc, I’m outside._

Babe looked up at the row of condos on the side of the street he was parked on and wondered which one was Gene’s. Gene had only told him third row of buildings before the stop sign. Babe wondered if that was because Gene didn’t know his own address because he was at the hospital so much or if he didn’t want Babe to know. Both concerned Babe.

_6:05 p.m. I told you to call me Gene and I’ll just be a minute longer. My cats decided to destroy my couch._

_6:05 p.m. You refused to call me Babe for nine months. I think I’m entitled to a little time to call you Doc._

_6:05 p.m. And take your time, I’ll be here. :)_

Babe waited a few minutes and turned around to the other side of the street thinking that maybe Gene’s place was on the other side.

He got lost in his thoughts of everything besides Gene because if he didn’t think about where he was and what he was about to do, then his heart didn’t race and he palms didn’t sweat. He could do this. He could so totally do this.

“Babe?” The familiar stomach fluttering, gravelly, deep voice called out from behind him.

Oh shit, he can’t do this. He so can’t do this.

Babe turned around and saw Gene for the first time. He would’ve laughed at the way his jaw dropped had he not been so shocked. Babe had never been so happy to be wrong in his life. Gene wasn’t tall, but he wasn’t short either, nearly the same height as Babe. His hair was raven black and sticking up at the top, but not precariously so.

“Gene?” He winced inwardly at just how breathless he sounded.

“Yeah.”

Babe relaxed when he heard that Gene was just as breathless as he was.

“I can’t believe it’s really you,” Babe couldn’t filter his thoughts fast enough, “You look really good.”

Really, he could not filter them fast enough.

Gene blushed at the unexpected praise, “Thank you. You do too. So are we gonna stand out here lookin’ at each other? Because I believe I was promised a night on the town.”

Babe laughed and made a dramatic gesture as he opened the passenger door.

Gene moved to get in but he stopped before getting in.

He’d spent the last nine months talking to Babe on a daily basis and he’d spent the last nine days constantly learning everything he could about this man. When Babe had asked if Gene wanted to exchange pictures before they met, Gene had said no. He needed to know that both of them weren’t doing, whatever this was, because the other was good-looking. He needed to know it was more. And it was.

So, in a risky, spontaneous move, Gene reached over the car door to pull Babe into kiss.

Unfortunately, Babe was caught off guard and tripped forward causing the door to slam into Gene’s chin and Babe’s forehead as he fell forward.

“Ow! Fichu porte!” Gene yelled out before moving to make sure Babe was okay.

“Babe, you okay?”

“Yeah were you speaking French?”

“Oui, let me make sure you’re okay. Here, sit in the car.”

Babe sat down his head swimming more from the fact that Gene spoke French, had his hands on him, and almost kissed him if Babe was so clumsy.

Gene’s hands were inspecting the bump on Babe’s forehead when the redhead spoke again, “Sorry, uh, about the door. I was just surprised is all.”

Gene sighed, the warm breath hitting the top of Babe’s head, “It’s okay, I shouldn’t have…”

Babe looked up as Gene dropped his hands to his sides and gave in to everything he’d been holding back.

_Well, in for a penny…_

“Yeah you should’ve.”

Babe stood up out of the passenger seat, and pulled Gene close to him. He looked in to new, but somehow, still familiar eyes because when he looked at them he saw _Gene_.

“This okay?” He breathed out against Gene’s lips.

“Yeah,” Gene whispered.

Babe leaned in half an inch more and his lips pressed into Gene’s.

It took half a second for Gene to reciprocate as he wrapped his arms around Babe’s neck and pulled Babe closer, eyes squeezed shut tightly, slightly shocked by how right and how good if felt to have Babe’s body and lips pressed against his own.

Babe pushed Gene’s body against the side of his car with a little more force than necessary, but neither noticed.

Gene just whimpered and pushed back against Babe, feeling the taller man’s heart racing just as fast as his own.

A strong wind blew past them and slammed the open door shut, forcing the two men suddenly apart from the sudden noise.

Both panting, the two just looked at each other for a long moment before Gene smiled wide at Babe and started laughing.

Babe joined in and stepped back in Gene’s space.

“So I have an idea and if you’re at all against it, we’ll go through with the night as planned.”

Gene smiled again, looking at Babe, “I’m listening.”

“Well we could go out on the town and see all the same places that’ll be there tomorrow _or_ we could order from the best Chinese place in town and watch movies at your place?”

Gene thought about his options for half a second before Babe was following him back into his house.

Gene closed the door behind them and took a deep breath. Babe was _here_ and more that he’d ever thought he would be. Gene’s skin is hot and his lips are bruised and tingling from the passionate kiss outside. He wants Babe, more than he ever thought he’d want someone, but he doesn’t think it could just be a one-time or casual thing between them. He wants more than that and he doesn’t know if Babe does and now he’s worried.

Babe gently lifted Gene’s chin up so he’d look at him instead of the floor, “What’s going on?”

“What do you want from me Babe?” He asked, gently pull Babe’s hand from his chin.

“What do you mean?”

“What is this,” Gene gestured between the two of them, “to you?”

“Oh, _oh_ , I’m not sure about you, but I want as much as you’re willing to give me right now. We can take this as fast or as slow as you want, but I kinda just want to be with you. Is…is that something you want?”

Gene smiled and pulled Babe’s arms to wrap around his waist.

“Yeah, it’s something I want.”

 

**Author's Note:**

>  _What do we think?_  
>  also, i'm on the [tumbles](http://www.thecompanyofheroes.co.vu), come say hi!


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